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Tuesday, 24 October 2017

Arctic Hare Vs Arctic Fox

We have been learning about the tundra during reading and inquiry. We learnt about the harsh conditions as well as the plant and animal life. Using a SOLO Hot Map we compared the Arctic fox and the Arctic hare.

Arctic Fox Vs Arctic Hare by Liam, Connor, Sam, Mizuki and Boston

The tundra is a cold, windy treeless environment known for its difficult living conditions. However there are a number of animals that have adapted in order to survive the inhospitable climate. These animals include polar bears, snowy owl, Arctic fox and Arctic hare. We are comparing two animals of the tundra the Arctic hare and fox.

Location:

Both the Arctic Fox and hare are found in the tundra. The Arctic Fox is found in Canada, Russia, Scandinavia and Alaska. The Arctic Hare is found Northern Canada and various parts of Greenland.

Diet:

The Fox and Hare share a diet based on what is available to them. The fox eats lemmings, voles, birds and their eggs. The hare however eats the limited vegetation found in the tundra such as buds, berries, twigs and mosses.

Shelter:

The Arctic hare forages in the snow to get shelter and be protected from the elements. On the other hand the foxes dig a den with multiple entries and exits to escape from predators and build under snow.

Even though both the Arctic hare and fox have successfully adapted to survive the tundra we believe the arctic hare and the fox have successfully adapted to survive the tundra we believe the hare is better suited to not only survive but to thrive. The hare's fur changes colour through the seasons which helps it camouflage. During summer the hare’s fur changes to grey and blue or grey and brown to help it hide in between the grass and twigs, whereas the fox remains white throughout the year leaving it exposed to predators.

Arctic Fox vs Arctic Hare by Kristy, Charlotte, Sativa and Alexus

The tundra is a treeless, cold, harsh environment. It is known for it’s difficult living conditions. However there are a number of animals that have been able to adapt and live in the tundra, such as the Caribou, Snowy Owl, Polar Bear, Arctic Fox and the Arctic Hare.

Both the Arctic Fox and hare are found in the tundra. The Fox is located in Canada, Russia, Alaska and Scandinavia. Similarly the hare can also be found in Canada, Alaska and Scandinavia as well as Greenland.

The fox and hare share a diet based on what is available to them. The Arctic Hare’s diet consists of buds, berries, twigs and a variety of mosses. However the Arctic Fox’s diet is made up of birds and their eggs, lemmings and voles. The Arctic Fox is opportunistic and can also scavenge for Polar Bear’s leftovers such as whale and seal carcasses.

Both the Arctic Fox and Hare have thick, white coats to help them survive to the harsh conditions. The Arctic fox also has a long, bushy tail to wrap around their small body. Whereas the Arctic hare has strong hind legs to propel themselves across the snow. Their claws also help them to dig through the thick snow in search for it’s prey.

For shelter the Arctic Fox protects itself by building a den with lots of entrances and exits, in order to escape quickly from any approaching predators. However the Arctic Hare digs for shelter beneath the snow.

Both the Arctic Fox and the Arctic Hare have been able to successfully adapt and survive in the tundra. We believe that the Arctic Fox is better suited to not only survive in the tundra, but thrive. The Arctic Fox is better suited for the tundra because it has a wider variety of food, a more protective place to live and more adaptations to keep it warm.